Claris opens wider preview of agentic FileMaker development

Claris has opened a developer preview programme for Agentic Development for FileMaker, expanding access beyond an earlier invite-only test group.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Broader early access is due to open in December, with general availability planned for late February 2027.

Agentic Development for FileMaker is designed to let AI coding agents work directly inside FileMaker files when developers build new applications or modify existing ones. According to Claris, the system lets those agents read and write files through the same pathways used by FileMaker Pro, rather than relying on clipboard transfers or XML exports.

That approach gives AI tools visibility into database schema, layouts, scripts and calculations. Claris said it is intended to support work across the full stack of a FileMaker solution, including systems with large script libraries and complex entity relationship graphs.

Claris has positioned the update as an extension of FileMaker's long-standing role in custom business application development. The product has historically targeted organisations and developers that want to build internal software tools without the larger engineering teams often associated with traditional software projects.

A previous closed testing phase involved selected partners and developers. Claris said feedback from that group helped shape the current preview release.

Some of that feedback came from partner organisations using the tool in client projects. One example cited by Claris involved the refactoring of a test management system for a manufacturing customer, where a developer said work that would previously have taken months could be completed in days.

The same project also included web-based interface features such as smooth scrolling across thousands of records, nested expandable tables, sortable columns, interactive dependency matrices and Gantt charts. Claris presented it as evidence that the tool can shorten development time for more complex interfaces.

Ian Jempson, Chief Information Officer at a Claris partner who advises firms on AI strategy at platform level, said repetitive scripting work adds little value for clients. "Writing the same script for the hundredth time isn't really helping anybody. It gets boring, and it's expensive for the client when that money could go toward something with a bigger return," Jempson said.

Developer workflow

Claris said the product is intended to work with AI coding agents such as Claude Code, Cursor and Codex. In describing the system, it argued that while these tools can generate application code, developers still need a platform to manage data, logic, interface design, runtime, security and cross-platform delivery.

That positions FileMaker as the environment in which AI-assisted development takes place. Claris also said developers can inspect, review and edit every change made by the agents because the output uses the same script steps, field types, calculations and layouts already familiar to FileMaker users.

This emphasis on inspectability addresses a common concern around AI-generated software: whether teams can maintain and audit the code and configuration after the initial build. In the FileMaker context, Claris said the resulting work remains readable within the platform rather than being abstracted into an external layer.

Darrin Southern, Founder of CadenceUX, described the effect on day-to-day development work in a separate comment. "A greater percentage of your time [can] be spent on problem-solving, rather than coding. There's no greater time than now to start your agentic journey. Claris has now allowed the direct connection that allows AI to talk to the FileMaker application," Southern said.

Training plans

Alongside the wider preview, Claris said it is putting training and support around the new feature set. These efforts include live training sessions led by Richard Carlton, regular office hours with the Claris team, and new video tutorials and documentation.

Claris did not disclose pricing for the feature in the material released with the preview announcement. It also did not provide figures on how many developers took part in the original invite-only programme or how many participants it expects to accept into the expanded preview.

The launch continues a broader push by Claris to embed AI more deeply into the FileMaker product line. Recent releases have already added AI-related features and integration options, and the new preview suggests Claris now wants developers to use external coding agents not just around FileMaker, but within the core development workflow itself.

Developers will still be able to review every change and decide what goes into the file, according to Claris.